rorke



(No Model.)

H. B. RORKE.

Truck.

' No. 234,836. Patented Nov. 23,1880..

Wznze-izi .Z'zwzzzivr UNrTE STATES ATENT Fries.

HUGH B. RORKE, OF FULTON, NET V YORK.

TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,836, dated November23, 1880. Application filed October 14, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH B. RoRKE, of Fulton, in the county of Oswegoand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Trucks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to made and use it, reference being hadto the accompanying; drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in trucks which are intendedespecially for moving stoves, but which may also be used for otherpurposes; and it consists, first, in the combination of two end pieces,each one of which is' provided with suitable supportingrollers, andwhich end pieces are united together by a slotted reach, and can beadjusted back and forth in relation to each other, so as to be adaptedto the size of the stove that is to be moved; second, in a brake whichis to be attach ed to one of the end pieces, and which serves the doublefunction of preventing the truck from moving while the stove is being vplaced upon it and preventing the truck from tilting over at that end,as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a truck which is especiallyintended for moving stoves of all kinds, and which is made adjustable inlength, so that it can be quickly adjusted.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a plan view.

A B represent the two end pieces of the truck, which are supported ateach of their ends upon a swiveled roller, so that the truck can notonlybe drawn readily about, but can be turned freely in all directions.Upon the top of each end piece is secured a cleat, O, which serves as astop, by catching against the feet of the stove, to prevent the stovefrom moving endwise after it has been mounted upon the truck. These twoend pieces, A B, are connected together by a slotted reach, D, whichreach is rigidly secured at one ofits ends to one of the end pieces,while the other end of the reach slides freely back and forth through agroove or recess which is made in the top of the end pieces.

Passing either down through the reach and the end piece, or passing upthrough the end piece and the reach, is a screw-bolt, F, to which athumb nut is applied for the purpose of clamping the end piece and reachtogether, and thus regulating the distance the two end pieces shall bemoved apart.

Pivoted upon the outer edge of the end piece to which the reach isrigidly secured are the two short bars H, which are pivoted at theirother ends to the brake bar or rod I. When this brake-rod is moveddownward so that it will bear upon the floor, the truck is not onlyprevented from moving, but is prevented from tilting up at that endwhile the stove is being lifted uponit. YVhile the truck is beingmovedabout, the parts which form this brake can be moved so as to be in aline with the end piece to which they are secured, or the brake can beraised upward so as to be taken hold of in drawing the truck around.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The end piece through whichthe clamping- .bolt passes may either be detached entirely from thereach, so that the reach can be passed under the stove and then the endpiece can be attached to it, or the end piece may be pushed throughunder the stove so as to eX- tend beyond it on the other side. The brakeis then lowered so as to bear upon the floor, and is secured in thisposition by means of a suitable set-screw or other locking device. Thestox e is then raised upward at one side or end, and the end piecehaving the brake attached is moved under the stove until its feet strikeagainst the cleat upon the top of the end piece, and then the other endpiece is moved inward until it strikes the feet of the stove at theother side or end. The other side or end of the stove is then raisedupward and the end piece moved under it until the lower ends of the feetstrike against the cleat, when the thumb-screw is tightened upon theclamping-bolt, so as to lock the end pieces rigidly together. The stove,resting upon the top of the truck, has its feet to bear against thecleats upon the two end pieces, and is thus locked in place upon the topof the truck, so that any movementis impossible. By raising the brakefrom off the floor the truck is ready to be drawn with the stove upon itin any direction.

By making the end pieces adjustable back and forth the truck can beadjusted for movin g other heavy articles of all descriptions, and bedrawn around by the handle 0, which is attached to the truck at one end.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. A truck for movingstoves, provided at one end with a brake, H which is adapted to catchagainst the floor and not only hold the truck in place, but prevent thetruck from tipping over-at that end While the truck is being loaded,substantially as shown and described.

- Witnesses:

B. J. KIMBALL, J. I). SPENCER.

